Methodologies based on seedling performance for vigor assessment of pumpkin seeds

Abstract

Seed vigor tests provide additional information provided by the germination test, producing more consistent data in different field conditions. This study aimed to evaluate procedures and methodologies for vigor testing to indicate which tests are sensitive to identify vigor levels between lots of pumpkin and squash seeds. Two species pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) and squash (Cucurbita pepo) were used, and each one was represented by four lots, whose initial quality was assessed using the following tests: germination and first count, earliness of rdicle emission, speed, coefficient of velocity and mean germination time, Timson's index, vigor rating, seedling emergence, and mean emergence rate. In the test of earliness of rdicle emission at two days, there was no difference between lots of Cucurbita maxima, and there was adequate separation of Cucurbita pepo lots, while the cool germination test rated lots similarly to the primary root emergence test. For the Pumpkin and Caserta seeds, the cool germination, primary root emergence at 3 and 4 days and seedling vigor rating tests showed separation efficiency of lots as for physiological potential.